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Posted August 13, 2014 06:35 pm - Updated August 14, 2014 02:10 pm

Jaguars at Chicago: 5 Jaguars to watch

This is a 2013 photo of Chad Henne of the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL football team. This image reflects the Jacksonville Jaguars active roster as of Monday, June 10, 2013 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)

This is a 2013 photo of Alan Ball of the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL football team. This image reflects the Jacksonville Jaguars active roster as of Monday, June 10, 2013 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)

This is a 2014 photo of Mike Brewster of the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL football team. This image reflects the Jacksonville Jaguars active roster as of Wednesday, May 28, 2014 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)

This is a 2014 photo of Telvin Smith of the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL football team. This image reflects the Jacksonville Jaguars active roster as of Wednesday, May 28, 2014 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)

This is a 2014 photo of Marqise Lee of the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL football team. This image reflects the Jacksonville Jaguars active roster as of Wednesday, May 28, 2014 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)

Everybody loves even the possibility of an open quarterback competition … except for the guy who has been tabbed for months as the Week 1 starter. Henne was 4-of-7 passing for 30 yards last week against Tampa Bay, but expect him to be more active in the passing game during his expected two quarters of work. Just as it’s important for Blake Bortles to get preseason reps, it’s big for Henne to establish a workable tempo.

ALAN BALL

Ball, one of the Jaguars’ projected starting cornerbacks, missed the first seven practices of training camp and then sat out the Tampa Bay game because of an ankle injury. If he starts, he’ll face a good measuring stick in Bears receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey. Ball upped his work on Monday and Tuesday, an important development because his presence is important on a still-young secondary.

MIKE BREWSTER

Ever since the Jaguars’ failed pursuit of Alex Mack, they’ve endorsed the idea of Brewster starting at center. Before the Tampa Bay game, the concern about Brewster was his struggles against big defensive tackles in practice. Exiting the Tampa Bay game, the concern about Brewster were his two airmailed shot-gun snaps. The Jaguars gave rookie Brandon Linder center reps earlier this week, which means the clock is ticking on Brewster.

TELVIN SMITH

Is it possible that Smith, the rookie linebacker from Florida State, is challenging veteran Geno Hayes for the starting Will spot? Probably not yet, but Smith has definitely had a solid training camp. Sure, he’s not the ideal size (218 pounds), but he moves well in coverage and showed blitzing instincts on his hit of Josh McCown that forced a pass Winston Guy intercepted and returned for a touchdown.

MARQISE LEE

He did nothing last week in his 16 snaps of work, and depending on who was asked, had one bad play (coach Gus Bradley) or two bad plays (offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch). Lee rebounded with two decent practices earlier this week. With Shorts and Robinson out again Thursday with hamstring injuries and the Jaguars expected to add a bigger passing layer to their game plan, Lee is a player to monitor.

ABOUT THE BEARS

Last year: The Bears started 3-0 under new coach Marc Trestman but had three two-game losing streaks, including a 33-28 Week 17 loss to Green Bay that cost the Bears the NFC North title (they finished 8-7-1).

Additions: Chicago went about rebuilding its 30th-ranked defense, signing projected starters DE Jared Allen (Minnesota), LB Lamarr Houston (Oakland) and S Ryan Mundy (New York Giants) in free agency and using their first four draft picks on CB Kyle Fuller, NT Ego Ferguson, DT Will Sutton and S Brock Vereen.

Departures: Chicago released DE Julius Peppers and also allowed QB Josh McCown, KR Devin Hester, DE Corey Wootton and S Major Wright to walk in free agency.

Outlook: A legitimate playoff contender because of their offense, led by QB Jay Cutler, RB Matt Forte and the dynamic WR duo of Marshall and Jeffrey. The key will be the defense. The group coordinated by former Jaguars assistant Mel Tucker couldn’t rush the passer (31 sacks, tied with the Jaguars for the NFL’s fewest) and couldn’t stop the run (last).

Everybody loves even the possibility of an open quarterback competition … except for the guy who has been tabbed for months as the Week 1 starter. Henne was 4-of-7 passing for 30 yards last week against Tampa Bay, but expect him to be more active in the passing game during his expected two quarters of work. Just as it’s important for Blake Bortles to get preseason reps, it’s big for Henne to establish a workable tempo.

Ball, one of the Jaguars’ projected starting cornerbacks, missed the first seven practices of training camp and then sat out the Tampa Bay game because of an ankle injury. If he starts, he’ll face a good measuring stick in Bears receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey. Ball upped his work on Monday and Tuesday, an important development because his presence is important on a still-young secondary.

Ever since the Jaguars’ failed pursuit of Alex Mack, they’ve endorsed the idea of Brewster starting at center. Before the Tampa Bay game, the concern about Brewster was his struggles against big defensive tackles in practice. Exiting the Tampa Bay game, the concern about Brewster were his two airmailed shot-gun snaps. The Jaguars gave rookie Brandon Linder center reps earlier this week, which means the clock is ticking on Brewster.

Is it possible that Smith, the rookie linebacker from Florida State, is challenging veteran Geno Hayes for the starting Will spot? Probably not yet, but Smith has definitely had a solid training camp. Sure, he’s not the ideal size (218 pounds), but he moves well in coverage and showed blitzing instincts on his hit of Josh McCown that forced a pass Winston Guy intercepted and returned for a touchdown.

He did nothing last week in his 16 snaps of work, and depending on who was asked, had one bad play (coach Gus Bradley) or two bad plays (offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch). Lee rebounded with two decent practices earlier this week. With Shorts and Robinson out again Thursday with hamstring injuries and the Jaguars expected to add a bigger passing layer to their game plan, Lee is a player to monitor.

Last year: The Bears started 3-0 under new coach Marc Trestman but had three two-game losing streaks, including a 33-28 Week 17 loss to Green Bay that cost the Bears the NFC North title (they finished 8-7-1).

Additions: Chicago went about rebuilding its 30th-ranked defense, signing projected starters DE Jared Allen (Minnesota), LB Lamarr Houston (Oakland) and S Ryan Mundy (New York Giants) in free agency and using their first four draft picks on CB Kyle Fuller, NT Ego Ferguson, DT Will Sutton and S Brock Vereen.

Departures: Chicago released DE Julius Peppers and also allowed QB Josh McCown, KR Devin Hester, DE Corey Wootton and S Major Wright to walk in free agency.

Outlook: A legitimate playoff contender because of their offense, led by QB Jay Cutler, RB Matt Forte and the dynamic WR duo of Marshall and Jeffrey. The key will be the defense. The group coordinated by former Jaguars assistant Mel Tucker couldn’t rush the passer (31 sacks, tied with the Jaguars for the NFL’s fewest) and couldn’t stop the run (last).